City passes new urban planning law for long-term development

The Shanghai People's Congress passed a new development planning law on Wednesday, to take effect on July 1.

The Shanghai Development Planning Regulation outlines how the city will plan and manage its future growth. It includes 40 articles in six chapters.

"This is a brand-new legislative move," said Zhang Zhongwei, deputy director of the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission. He said the law aims to build a unified planning system, improve planning procedures, and guide the city's long-term development.

Cao Jizhen, head of the Shanghai legislature's finance and economics committee, said the law strengthens the strategic role of development planning. It also adds a legal framework to oversee how plans are made and followed.

The regulation covers the full planning cycle, from research to public input, approval, and review. It also highlights the need for coordination between various types of plans.

One article, for example, says the city must strengthen links among economic, land use, and special regional plans. The goal is to form a "planning synergy."

Zhang said Shanghai's next five-year plan, the 15th Five-Year Plan, will use a "1+46+16" framework. That includes one main outline, 46 special plans, and 16 district-level outlines.

The law also outlines steps for public participation and expert consultation. Articles 21 through 22 require planners to seek expert advice and listen to residents' opinions.

To make the plans work in real life, the law creates a task system. Once the main plan is released, city officials must set goals, assign responsibilities, and break down tasks by timeline.

The law also calls for better coordination of policies related to finance, land, and population to support the plans.

The law gives Shanghai's legislature more power to monitor how plans are being carried out. It also allows people and groups to give feedback or raise concerns.

If government workers misuse their power or act unlawfully during the planning process, they will face penalties, the new regulation says.

Chang Jiang, deputy director of the city's legislative affairs committee, said the law helps turn planning ideas into action. It sets rules for tracking progress year by year and adjusting plans when needed.